Emergency services were called to the scene near Lumsdens Lane about 4am on Saturday to find a northbound B-double and southbound sedan had collided in the northbound lanes.

Nambucca Heads resident, William ‘Scotty’ Gemmell, 73, was driving the car and died at the scene.

The truck driver was taken to Macksville Hospital suffering shock and has undergone mandatory tests. Police say the investigation is ongoing.

The accident was the second between a car and truck at that stretch of highway during this latest holiday period. 

“Roads and Maritime Services is working to have the bypasses of Macksville and Bellwood open to traffic by Christmas this year, weather permitting,” an RMS spokesperson said.

“Since the Pacific Highway upgrade started in 1996, the number of fatalities has halved.”

However the Woolgoolga to Ballina and Oxley to Kundabung upgrades are being prioritised over the Macksville bypass.

Those two projects are much more advanced and will therefore open to traffic first.

Police are investigating a single vehicle accident that occurred on Creek St, Nambucca Heads about 10pm on Tuesday. 

A 72-year-old woman is alleged to have lost control of her car near the intersection of Ridge St, mounting the curb and coming to rest down an embankment at the bottom of the hill.

The woman was assisted from the car by fire officers before being taken by ambulance to Macksville Hospital for treatment.